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“His spy ?” She took a step back. “You’d give me to them? Put me in one of those fucking cages?” Her voice rose. It felt like all the air had been sucked from the room.

She swallowed and tried to take a deep breath.

But it was too late. Her cougar awakened. Her claws slid out and a furious growl ripped from her chest.

Fane stiffened but did nothing to defend himself. “No. Not in a cage. That’s Lady B’s thing, not the king.”

She stalked toward him. “You’re dead,” she said in a thick, barely human voice.

He spread his hands. “You can tear me to pieces, love, but Sindre still wants to see you.”

The cougar didn’t want to hear that. It tried to force the change on her, but she maintained control—barely.

But both of them wanted blood. She retracted her claws and reached for her iron dagger. In the next instant, she had Fane backed up to the wall, the knife at the sweet spot over his carotid.

The iron seared his skin. A blister formed at the point, and the scent of burning flesh filled her nostrils. His throat worked, but he remained silent, gazing back with those fucking sky-colored eyes.

“You didn’t have to bring me inside the castle.” Her voice was harsh with her cougar’s rasp. “You could’ve opened a portal and let me out.”

“Would you have left?”

No, but he couldn’t have known that. Not for sure. She glared at him without speaking.

“And besides,” he added, “the goblins would’ve caught you. They were hoping to flush you out. The minute we moved away from the wall, they’d have been on us, and you’d be in a cage right now.”

She sneered. “Why should I believe you?”

“Because you can scent a lie.”

She scowled. But he was right—his scent had the clean bite of truth.

“This way,” he said, “you have a chance. The king is old, and frankly, a little bored. Even a spider eventually gets tired of spinning webs. If you interest him, he won’t let Lady B get hold of you.”

“What do you mean if I interest him?” She pressed the dagger’s point deeper.

Blood welled up, and then the iron seared the tiny wound, sealing it. He had to be in pain, but he didn’t blink an eye. The man might be a manipulative, two-faced prick, but he was no coward.

“Talk to him,” he urged. “That’s all I’m saying.”

She bared her teeth. “And if I kill you first?”

“That’s your choice, of course. But I’m your only friend in the court.”

“My friend?” She sneered. “I’d like to see how you treat your enemies.”

His eyes flickered but he stared back calmly until she cursed and released him. Stepping back, she dragged the back of her hand over her mouth in a deliberate gesture.

Wiping the taste of him away.

He had the grace to look ashamed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kissed you.”

“You think?” Her look should’ve fried him where he stood.

Turning on her heel, she strode into the bathroom to rinse her dagger. She shoved it back into her boot and gripped the stone sink, Fane’s words thudding in her mind. If you interest him, he won’t let Lady B get hold of you.

Boredom was a fae weakness, especially with an old fae like Sindre who’d been everywhere, done everything. She’d slit her own throat before she’d be any fae’s whore, but maybe she could use Sindre’s boredom against him. Play his games for a short while and watch for a chance to escape.

Think, Jani.

But even the most Gifted strategist needed data to work with, and there was too damn much she didn’t know.

She could guess why Lady Blaer was capturing fada—she fed on their emotional distress—but why did Sindre allow it?

And why have her followed? Was it standard procedure, or had he been watching for her—or maybe Adric—in particular?

But anything was better than a cage. To be enclosed like that, trapped and at that fae bitch’s mercy…

Her throat closed up. She gulped several breaths and then splashed cold water on her face.

When she returned to the bedroom, Fane was seated on the wood chair gazing down at his clasped hands. He looked…so alone.

Her growl was for herself. She was not going to soften toward the prick.

As he rose to his feet, his gaze swept over her. She tensed, wondering if he’d try and take her knives from her. She’d beg if she had to—without the iron dagger, she was helpless against Sindre. Teeth and claws would be useless against such a powerful fae.

But instead, he asked something totally unexpected. “Do you have to wear the quartz over your heart, or can you hide it somewhere else on your body?”

She instinctively brought her hand to where it was tucked beneath her sweater. “Why?”

He expelled a breath. “You didn’t hear this from me, understand?

” When she nodded, he continued, “Because if Lady B captures you, you don’t want to be wearing that quartz.

I can confirm this much—she’s figured out a way to control earth fada with their quartz.

You can hide that one on your body, and I’ll get you another. ”

Marjani fingered the switchblade in her front pocket. Could she trust Fane? She was still reeling at the big fat secret he’d hidden from her.

But it was true that the fada could be controlled by their quartz. With the right words, a fae could enslave a fada. And apparently Corban had been stupid enough to give Blaer the secret words.

“All right. But I want your promise that you won’t tell anyone I switched.”

“I promise,” he said immediately. “Unless Sindre asks me directly. I can’t lie to him.”

Can’t , he’d said. And something else he’d said niggled at her.

“What do you mean, you can confirm this much? What aren’t you telling me?”

“Haven’t you figured it out?” He eyed her sorrowfully. “I’m under a geas , love. I made a bargain with the king.”